More changes are happening at The CW as the network cancels a new show after only four episodes, replacing it with reruns. Under the new leadership of Nexstar, which acquired a 75% stake in The CW in October 2022, the young adult-focused channel has experienced both personnel and programming changes. In an effort to reach profitability and broaden its audience, the network has shifted from teen dramas and superhero sagas in favor of low-cost series from outside the U.S. and sports content like golf. As a result of these shifts, several CW originals such as The Winchesters and Legacies have been canceled.

According to mystery drama Nancy Drew. Barons, which starred Sean Keenan and Ben O’Toole, drew notably weak viewership. The premiere episode got 179,000 total viewers but a 0.0 in the key 18-49 demographic. All eight episodes of Barons will still be available on The CW's app and website.

Why The CW's Legacy Is So Important

The CW is a continuation of The WB, with Warner Bros. Discovery (along with Paramount Global) still owning a 12.5% stake in the network after the Nexstar acquisition. The WB as a channel, particularly from the late 1990s and into the early 2000s, was the home for the teen dramas and genre offerings that have left a giant mark on pop culture. Some of its influential shows included Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dawson's Creek, Felicity, and Gilmore Girls.

It gave a platform for actors like Buffy's Sarah Michelle Gellar and helped hone showrunners and writers that have gone on to create some of the biggest series on cable and streaming. The White Lotus creator Mike White, for instance, wrote several Dawson's Creek episodes early in his career. The CW has carried some of those tenets forward with shows like Riverdale and The Vampire Diaries. It also balanced the long-runnier Arrowverse, which connected multiple DC Comics-based shows.

Even away from its young adult fare, the pre-Nexstar CW took a chance on gems like Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Jane the Virgin. The CW continues with its quiet cancelations, signaling that even acquired shows aren't safe. Meanwhile, the mantle of young adult programming is now split between streaming services like Netflix and Paramount+ to varying results.

Source: TVLine